Veteran point guard Derek Fisher was in the starting lineup Sunday night for the 74th consecutive time this season, and for the second time since an MRI examination revealed he has a partially torn tendon in his right foot.

How much longer he remains on the active roster is uncertain, however. Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged as much before Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards at Staples Center.

“We’re still in a quandary about Derek, and what exactly is going to happen,” Jackson said. “Can he play through this? Is he going to have to take a rest period, or what? So, right now we’re still in a quandary about how it’s going to go.”

Fisher felt discomfort in his foot for several weeks before he said he injured the tendon while making a move during the Lakers’ loss Wednesday to the Charlotte Bobcats. He underwent an MRI on Friday, which revealed the injury.

The customary period for such an injury to heal is roughly six to eight weeks, according to the Lakers’ medical staff. Fisher has decided to play through the injury rather than sit out, joining backcourt partner Kobe Bryant in playing through an injury.

Bryant tore a ligament in his right pinkie Feb. 5, but has decided to put off undergoing surgery until after the Beijing Olympics in August. He also has been playing with a sprained right ankle and a nasty cut on his left eye.

Pau Gasol participated in the morning shootaround, but was not ready to play against the Wizards. He will likely make his return from a sprained left ankle Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

“He didn’t rest (Sunday),” Jackson said. “He worked. He went on the court (Saturday) and he did some things. I could see that he just wasn’t capable of pushing his way through with the kind of energy you need to have to play in this game.

“He couldn’t push off or take the kind of shots he wanted to take. But he was out there and it was good and he was no worse for wear because of it.”

Gasol was injured March 14.

Washington guard Gilbert Arenas (Grant High of Van Nuys) can opt out of his contract and become a free agent at season’s end, and there’s been much speculation that he might sign with either the Lakers or Clippers during the offseason.

Arenas has missed 65 games since undergoing left knee surgery Nov. 21.

Ira Newble’s 10-day contract was set to expire after Sunday’s game. Newble had played in one game for only four minutes going into Sunday. Jackson said he would talk with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak about Newble’s status after the game.

Gasol sits again Arenas’ future Newble update Ariza news

The Lakers continue to monitor Trevor Ariza’s broken right foot with twice-monthly X-rays. Ariza’s return to the lineup hinges on clear “pictures,” as Jackson said. Ariza has been out since he was injured in the Lakers’ loss Jan.17 to the Phoenix Suns.

Elliott Teaford covers the Anaheim Ducks for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group. He covered the Ducks for 12 years, including the Stanley Cup season, for the Los Angeles Times and the Daily Breeze before returning to the beat in 2018 for SCNG. He also covered the Lakers for five seasons, including their back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and '10. He once made a jump shot over future Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton during a pickup game in 1980 at Cypress College.